Parental Bond
by Little Gem Magnolia
Summary: As a parent, you'll move heaven and earth to be there when your kid needs you whether it's by saving the world or protecting her from the bogeyman. Cage-family fluff. Rated for later chapters.
1. Ninja Mime

_Parental Bond_

 **Summary** : As a parent, you'll move heaven and earth to be there when your kid needs you whether it's by saving the world or protecting her from the bogeyman. Cage-family fluff.

 **Disclaimer** : I do not own Mortal Kombat or any of the characters.

 **Author's Note** : So I'm back with another Cage-family fic. This fic will be a short set of time-jump one-shots following the same basic theme and I hope you guys enjoy it just as much as you did " _Blocking_."

 **0000**

Johnny heard her before he saw her. He was quickly becoming used to getting nightly visits from his little girl.

When she had first been born, it had been the other way around; _he_ had been the one visiting _her_. Creeping into her room, checking her crib.

Had she kicked off the blanket?

Did she have her teddy bear?

Had they closed the window?

He couldn't hear her cooing, was the baby monitor on?

Did he need to change the batteries?

Did they have the wrong end in her room again?

Eventually he'd stopped mentally making excuses to check on her and would just stand there, watching her sleep.

She was a miracle. _His_ miracle.

Sure Sonya had helped and okay, so she was the spitting image of her mother but every time she'd gotten fussy when she didn't get her way, that was all him. When she'd disagreed with something and cut her eyes just so, every time she'd hammed it up for the dozens of cameras that had hounded them day and night for a snap shot of the famous Cage baby, he couldn't deny that she was his. And then she'd started to _talk_.

Yes, she was most definitely a Cage and there was absolutely no denying it.

Now at ten she had him wrapped around her little finger and he was secure enough in his manhood to admit that fact with pride.

Sonya didn't like it of course and he'd heard the speech many times before.

 _"She's a big girl, John. Big enough to sleep in her own bed and she'll never stay put the whole night if you keep letting her sleep with us every time a tree limb scrapes against the house."_

Maybe his wife had a point but all he could think when she padded into their room almost every night was that his little girl needed him and what kind of a dad would he be if he led her back to her room and left her to face her demons alone?

Besides, if she was with him, she was safe.

He felt her poke his nose even as he squinted his eyes, halfheartedly playing opossum.

She was going to get him in trouble...again.

"I know you're not asleep," she whispered smartly and he opened his eyes to see her standing in front of him with one hand on her hip, looking very much like a miniature version of her mother.

He cocked a brow and propped himself up on his arm. "Oh you do, do you?"

She nodded, tugging nervously on blonde locks he knew she secretly found too long with the hand that held her faithful teddy bear.

 _"It's hot,"_ she'd whined very pitifully once. His only reply had been that, when she was older she could do what she wanted but for now her mother thought long hair was absolutely ' _darling_ ' on their princess.

"You're a bad fibber," she informed quietly, cocking her own brow back at him as best she could.

His eyebrows shot to his hairline. "I don't know if you know this or not but I'm an _actor_ ," he began, leaning forward so that he was nose to nose with her. "That makes me an _excellent_ fibber."

He wasn't sure what to think when she began giggling, bringing her bear up to cover her mouth and muffle the sound, but he couldn't stop a smile from creeping over his face at her amusement.

Was she calling him a bad actor?

She looked up at him after her giggles subsided. "Daddy, you were a very bad fibber in _Ninja Mime_."

" _Ninja Mime_ is what daddy likes to call a low point in his career of professional fibbing," he explained very seriously. "Amateur writing team, first-time director, the choreographer was an idiot and it was an extremely low-budget production. You know daddy doesn't do low-budget, angel. I did my best with what I had."

Unfortunately for him, his biggest fan didn't look too convinced.

"I'll do better next time," he promised. "Scouts honor," he added earnestly as she crossed her arms, teddy bear hanging carelessly from one hand, and tilted her head in the exact same manner as he'd seen Sonya do at least a thousand times before.

Abruptly changing gears she said: "I had a bad dream."

Johnny sighed, collapsing back against the bed. "Oh come on, the movie wasn't _that_ bad."

Cassie shook her head and poked his shoulder. "Not about the movie," she whispered, warily glancing at her mother's side of the bed. If Sonya woke up, she'd be going back to her own room and even her father wouldn't be able to save her.

Nodding soberly, he cautiously slid closer to his wife and lifted the covers for her. "Get in."

He wouldn't ask what she'd dreamt about or why it scared her so, he'd tried before but she was a rather tight-lipped child. Despite her frequent visits to their room, she wasn't frightened easily so whatever was bothering her must be something she took very seriously.

She would tell him when she was ready and not a second before. Much like her mother, she wouldn't be rushed.

 **0000**

An hour later, as Johnny stared down at the peaceful face of his daughter, he felt his wife stir. His entire body stiffened as he prepared himself for the condescending speech he knew was coming but instead he was pleasantly surprised when she merely tucked her body into his side and reached across his stomach to push a lock of hair away from Cassie's face.

"I knew the moment she climbed into bed," she informed as though reading his thoughts.

"How?"

She shrugged and propped her head on his chest, looking up at him sleepily. "A mother just knows," she replied ominously, smiling as he kissed her forehead. "Besides, you two could have woken the dead discussing the merits of that god awful movie you made last year."

"I thought you said you liked _Ninja Mime_ ," he accused, eyes narrowed.

"Oh sweetie," she cooed, tweaking his nose. "I love you but come on. It was a movie about a _mime_."

"It was not about a mime," he whined pitifully. "It was about a **ninja** mime."

 **0000**

 _Alrighty so this is the first part of this little one-shot series and it's a bit lighter than I had intended it to be. As always, please review._


	2. Citizen Cage

_Parental Bond_

 **Disclaimer:** I do not own Mortal Kombat or any of the characters.

 **Author's Note:** I would like to thank everyone who reviewed the first _Parental Bond_ one-shot! You guys are awesome.

 **0000**

Sonya Blade hated admitting defeat, especially to the likes of Johnny Cage but as soon as Cassie's fever had hit the delirium stage and she'd started asking for her father, the tough as nails blonde had to reluctantly scratch a tally on her estranged husband's side of the invisible _'divorce battle'_ board. She was getting used to it, though; he'd already won so many battles since their separation began a year and a half ago.

He'd been the bigger person and moved out of their amazing home, opting for a small condo nearby instead.

When the divorce proceedings began, he was adamant that thirteen was a tough age and Cassie would need her mother. Though she could tell he was disappointed, he didn't make a big fuss about only having her on the weekends.

He'd _offered_ to pay child support and alimony.

Anything Sonya wanted or secretly cared about but would never bring herself to officially ask for in the divorce was hers.

There were no arguments. Every time things got heated, insulting or just this side of permanently damaging, he walked away.

 _"I'm not going to fight you, Sonya,"_ he'd told her during one of their early court mandated mediation sessions. _"I want you to be happy and since our marriage isn't making you happy, it needs to end but that doesn't mean I want to be your enemy."_

It made her sick. He was civil, understanding and constantly bending over backwards to be accommodating to whatever she wanted. He was already so far ahead of her in the divorce battle that there was no way she could possibly catch up, did he have to take her daughter too?

As soon as Cassie had been born, Sonya knew that she'd be a daddy's girl and that was okay while they were still married but ever since he'd walked out Cassie's unconditional adoration of her father was nothing more than a reminder that she'd failed not only as a wife but apparently as a mother as well. When she wasn't feeling well, it just added salt to the wound.

When she'd first gotten sick a few days ago, Sonya had mustered every bit of maternal instinct she possessed and tried to diligently take care of her little girl only to find herself lacking her estranged husband's bedside manner. Johnny knew their princess like the back of his hand.

He knew that she preferred juice over ginger ale.

He cut the crust off her sandwiches but didn't throw it away because she wanted to eat it last.

When her throat was sore she preferred chocolate ice cream to vanilla.

No matter how old she was having her teddy bear when she didn't feel well was a must.

 **Classics** like _The Gist of My Fist_ and _Ninja Mime_ were the answer to everything from the common cold to strep.

Sonya couldn't compete; she just didn't have that Cage charisma that put their little girl at ease so it was with a deep feeling of dread that she called Johnny Cage.

That had been three hours ago and apparently he had been on some movie set in California. She had assured him that Cassie would be fine and that just hearing his voice over the phone would do her some good but Sonya knew him. She could practically guarantee, bet her life on it in fact, that he had used his charm and celebrity status to land a seat on a plane within the hour. Needless to say she wasn't surprised when the door to their home swung open around midnight and in stepped the infamous Johnny Cage, looking disheveled and war torn in fight pants and an open sweat jacket, chest covered in fake blood.

He immediately stopped in his tracks when he saw her, obviously not expecting her to be up and unsure of how she would react to his presence.

Having expected him she merely sighed and stepped to the side. "She's in our room," she informed with a flippant gesture to the back of the house. "I figured she'd be more comfortable in there."

She wouldn't dare tell him that Cassie was the only person to even set foot in their room since the separation. There weren't as many ghosts in the guest room.

After a moment he nodded and brushed past her and she immediately knew that she wouldn't have to worry about running into him for the rest of the night.

 **0000**

Sonya groaned and slapped her alarm clock into silence with a bit more force than was strictly necessary. The normally early riser hadn't felt this groggy and unrested since her days in boot camp.

It was _his_ fault.

She had assumed that knowing he was here, taking care of Cassie the way she needed to be taken care of would bring her some peace and allow her to sleep but sleep hadn't come 'til four. She just hadn't been able rest knowing that he was just a few doors down.

How long would he stay?

Would he insist on sticking around until Cassie was better?

Would he leave before breakfast?

Didn't he have a movie to get back to?

Shaking her head and resolving to match him, civil and accommodating for honey sweet and hospitable, she padded down the hall to peek in on her angel. It was almost time for her medicine.

The sight that greeted her when she opened the door coupled with the memories associated with the bedroom stole her breath for a moment. There in the middle of their king sized bed laid her two night owls, illuminated by the _Citizen Cage_ DVD menu loop.

Over the years Johnny Cage had done many things to surprise, woo and make her fall desperately in love with him. If there was any doubt in her mind as to whether or not she still loved him despite the terrible turn their life together had taken, the answer was now as clear as day. She couldn't _not_ love him, especially after seeing him with their daughter; it was impossible.

Quietly closing the door, she turned and made her way to the kitchen. She had a breakfast for three to prepare.

 **0000**

 _Please review!_


	3. Dragon Fist

_Parental Bond_

 **Disclaimer:** I do not own Mortal Kombat or any of the characters.

 **Author's Note:** I would like to thank everyone who read and reviewed the first two chapters! I'm so glad you guys are enjoying this and I sincerely hope this chapter doesn't disappoint.

 **0000**

"Johnny...Johnny Cage..."

Silence.

"Earth to John Carlton. Are you even listening to me?"

Startled, Johnny shook his head, blearily staring up into a furious pair of hazel eyes.

"I'm sorry Jessica," he apologized, brows furrowed sincerely. "Go ahead, I'm listening."

He really didn't know what was wrong with him. Seventeen years ago he would have been ecstatic about the re-release of _Dragon Fist_ and working on a third installment but then again, seventeen years ago he hadn't had a daughter to think about.

A daughter he hadn't seen in six months.

He was almost a hundred percent positive that Sonya hadn't kept them apart on purpose; their schedules just hadn't meshed in a while. Still, intentional or not, it didn't make the situation any easier.

He had never been away from his baby girl for this long.

Originally he was supposed to get Cassie on the weekends but then she'd decided she wanted to go into the Special Forces after high school so she'd enrolled in a pre-training program that had taken her away from home for the summer. Once that had ended, Sonya had pulled her from public school for the first half of the year so that she could take Cassie with her while she traveled for some important inter-realm delegation. After that he'd been busy recording commentaries, doing interviews and touring for the special tenth anniversary release of _Dragon Fist_. Before he knew it, half a year had gone by and he only had a handful of calls, hundreds of missed messages and thousands of texts to show for it. Phone calls were nice but it was a little too impersonal for the Cage clan, who were known for being an extremely tight knit group. Johnny Cage missed his little girl. Hell she was probably so grown up now he wouldn't even recognize her.

"The official premiere is tonight, Cage," Jessica was saying when he decided to tune back in. "And you still don't have a date yet."

Johnny shook his head and rolled his eyes. "I'm still trying to get in touch with my date," he groaned, leaning back in his chair and propping his feet on the table. "I'm sure she'll say yes, though."

Jessica skeptically cocked a perfectly manicured brow.

"It's in the bag," he stressed confidently. "No one says _no_ to Johnny Cage."

 **0000**

"No."

"Come on Sonya, it's just one night," he whined, taking her hands and sliding to his knees on the floor in front of her, practically begging her to say yes.

Scoffing, his ex wife rolled her eyes. "No, it's a school night. Her education comes before some Hollywood party."

"But it's not just some Hollywood party, babe," he reminded earnestly. "It's an important release for my career; it could put Johnny Cage back on the map." When her countenance didn't soften, he decided to go in for the kill. "You've had her for six months, I'm just asking for one night. Let me spend some time with my princess."

He was manipulating her, tugging at her heartstrings and playing off her guilt-ridden conscious. Despite whatever he may think, she didn't take pleasure in keeping them apart. She didn't sit around, laughing manically at the thought of bringing him pain and she definitely didn't revel in her daughter's tears, no matter how secretly they were shed.

Sighing, she leant forward and pinned him with a glare that made low-ranking officers quake in their combat boots. "Have her back by eleven."

"One."

"Midnight."

"Done," he agreed with a smile. Not the cocksure, celebrity grin that he was known for but a genuine, heartwarming smile. He then surprised her by leaping up and pulling her into a fierce embrace, the first physical contact they'd had since the divorce. "Thank you, Sonya."

 **0000**

Johnny nervously fumbled for his phone as his ringtone blared in the quiet living room, startling both he and Sonya as they waited for Cassie to finish getting ready.

"Cage," he answered smoothly, sounding way calmer than he actually felt. He was about to go on a date with his daughter and he was anxious as hell.

What if they didn't have anything in common anymore?

What if they didn't have anything to talk about?

What if she felt like she couldn't be herself around him?

And then there was the one thing that he dreaded the most: What if she was too old to be seen with her dad? She used to love hamming it up in front of the cameras with him but was she too grown up for that now?

He didn't know what he'd do if the bond between them had been broken by this long absence.

An exasperated sigh came from the other end of the phone. "Where the hell have you been?" Jessica practically yelled in his ear. "I've been trying to get in touch with you for hours! A phone is meant to be answered, Cage."

Grimacing at the sheer volume of her shrill screech, Johnny held the phone away from his ear. "I've been busy," he intoned, shooting an apologetic glance at Sonya for the disruption of their rather comfortable silence.

She simply nodded in return. She was used to being interrupted by his manager, public relations representatives, lawyers, directors, writers, etc. Hell, his agent even called them on their honeymoon!

"Please tell me that you've scrounged up a date," Jessica whined. "I mean if not I have the names of some up and coming actresses who would love to be seen with the likes of Johnny Cage but I need to know now because they need time to get dresses and have hair and make-up teams make them beautiful and I've only got three hours to make all of that happen so please just tell me that you've found someone on your own."

Reeling back as though slapped Johnny said: "You know I'm not sure what I find more offensive: that you think I need help finding a date or that you think I need to _scrounge_ up someone to accompany me." Silence reigned on the other end of the phone. "I assure you that I don't need your names and I didn't _scrounge_ for anything...except maybe her mother's permission..." he trailed, casting a sidelong glance in Sonya's direction only to find her staring back at him with a small smile on her face.

"Her mother's permission!?" Jessica shrieked, making him wince. "Please tell me that she, whoever _she_ is, is legal. Just please tell me you're not one of _those_ aging celebrities because I swear on all that is holy I will drop you like a hot potato, Johnny Cage if I find you flaunting some seventeen year old girl-"

"The only seventeen year old girl I'll be flaunting tonight, or ever by the way, is going to be my daughter," he explained shortly, running an agitated hand through his hair.

"While that's infinitely more comforting than the seriously illegal alternative," she began a bit calmer than before. "We are supposed to be presenting you to the world as Johnny Cage, hot celebrity bachelor. You are supposed to be starring in _Son of Dragon Fist_ next year and while you're playing a dad in the film we are trying to reinvent you as a happening action star, not daddy long legs."

"What are you trying to say?"

"I'm saying drop the kid for tonight and let me set you up with some sexy blonde. There's still time," she insisted enthusiastically. "There's this new girl, she's only been seen on the silver screen so far but she's got some serious potential. She's young, in her mid twenties, but I promise she'll make you look good for tonight and-"

Clearing his throat and swallowing his burgeoning anger Johnny cut her off. "Jessica, I am taking my daughter to the premiere. If I wanted to go with some sexy blonde, I'd just take her mother." With that he hung up and turned to a flabbergasted Sonya.

"Did you just...?" she began, eyes wide.

Johnny gaped like a fish out of water as the reality of what just happened, and who it happened in front of, set in. "What I meant was-"

"I feel like a performing monkey in this dress," Cassie exclaimed as she strode into the living room, each step punctuated by a low _clack_.

Sonya looked up, blue eyes gleaming suspiciously. "You're beautiful, sweetie," she choked out after a moment.

"Stunning," Johnny agreed as he stood and held out an arm to her.

Cassie's face split into a grin that lit up the entire room at her father's approval. Taking his arm she said: "You're looking pretty swanky yourself there, dad." A pause. "You know, for an old guy."

He glared down at her and playfully cuffed her chin. "Well this old guy is about to take you out on a night to remember," he informed, dropping a kiss to her forehead. "Smart-mouthed whippersnapper."

Sonya laughed. "Well she is your daughter," she reminded as she shared a teasing wink with Cassie.

Johnny froze for a moment, deep in thought. "You want to join us, general?" he blurted suddenly.

Two sets of blue eyes widened at the proposition.

"We could make it a Carlton-family outing," he added hopefully.

Sonya swallowed harshly and averted her eyes from her daughter's childlike enthusiasm. The girl was practically _bouncing_ with excitement at the prospect of having her entire family together again, even if only for one night. "I can't," she declined gently, a stab of guilt coursing through her as Cassie's face fell. "I have a lot of work to do but you two go ahead. Use this time to catch up and I'll join you next time."

"Promise," Cassie insisted petulantly, hand tightening around Johnny's bicep.

"I promise," she laughed before waving them out the door. "Now go, have fun. I'll watch it on TV."

"Promise?" Johnny pressed, trademark grin in place.

"Promise."

 **0000**

Sonya shook her head, laughing as she watched her two hams strut across the red carpet in a spotlight of camera flashes. They were both naturals in front of a crowd and the camera definitely loved them both.

Johnny was aging in that heinously unfair, _defining_ way that attractive older men do and their daughter just so happened to be the most beautiful, engaging woman at the premiere. Despite the hype about the new movie, every reporter that stopped them seemed to be more curious about his choice of date than anything and every time Cassie opened her mouth, she simply oozed the Cage-charm that made Johnny into the beloved cult-action hero America knew and loved.

Sonya always said that Johnny Cage was a force of nature, a one-of-a-kind creation. Well now there were _two_ of him and it was all her fault.

 **0000**

 _Please review._


	4. 24 Karate Gold

_Parental Bond_

 **Disclaimer** : I do not now, nor have I ever owned Mortal Kombat or any of the characters. (Honestly, why would I be writing fanfiction if I did?)

 **Author's Note** : Sorry for the delay in updating, guys. I got a little side-tracked by ' _Broken_ ' and then the _Mortal Kombat X_ mobile game was released for download here in the states and I'm still **super duper** distracted by that but I'm back with another oneshot that I hope you all enjoy. I also would like to thank everyone for reviewing and supporting this series; you guys are amazing!

 **0000**

"Look, mom I'm fine. Really," Cassie insisted, rolling her eyes as Sonya buzzed around her hospital bed like some frazzled mother hen. "It's just a flesh wound."

Her mother stiffened behind her where she had been fluffing her pillow. "A flesh wound wouldn't have gotten you admitted to the hospital," she reminded sternly. "You were shot."

"In the _leg_."

"Twice."

Cassie sighed. She knew she wasn't going to win this round.

Shaking her head, Sonya perched herself on the edge of the bed and, taking her daughter's hand in hers, said: "Maybe I should back out of my mission-"

"Oh no," Cassie cut in, gently squeezing the fingers wrapped around hers in reassurance. "You are going. There's no reason for you to opt out, I am fine." Sonya opened her mouth to argue but Cassie forged on forcefully. "I'm being released tomorrow and after a couple of days of those exercises the physical therapist recommended I'll be good as new."

"What about the house? Have you even thought about how you'll navigate the stairs alone?"

"I can stay downstairs on the couch," she offered with a small smile. "No stairs for me."

"The couch is way too small. You need to stretch out to heal properly."

"Okay, no big drama. I can stay in yours and dad's old room."

"And who will take care of you while I'm gone?"

Blue eyes narrowed. "I can take care of myself."

"Food?"

"I can cook," Cassie grumbled childishly.

Sonya crossed her arms. "Two minutes in the microwave isn't cooking." A pause and then: "If you won't let me stay and take care of you then I'm calling your father."

Cassie's eyes widened in alarm and she immediately began to protest. "That's low, mom. Besides you can't call daddy, he's in California."

"I'm sure he'll come back to check in on you while I'm gone," her mother assured, stroking her cheek gently. "Anything for his little warrior princess."

"But mom," she whined. "Daddy doesn't exactly... _know_ about all of this."

Sonya's brow creased disapprovingly as she stood and began to pace. "Why doesn't your father know?" she snapped testily. " _How_ doesn't he know? You just talked to him yesterday."

Cassie actually had the grace to look sheepish as she sat, picking at a loose string on the front of her hospital gown. "I just haven't gotten around to telling him; I don't want to disturb him. He's working and you and I both know that he would rush home if he knew."

"I should have known," Sonya began, berating herself as she wore a hole in the floor. "I wondered why he hadn't called me to see how you were _really_ doing."

"I am _really_ fine, I promise! Have Kenshi or Jacqui or even Uncle Jax check in on me but please don't call daddy. I don't want him to worry."

Sonya's face softened at her daughter's plea and she retook her seat on the edge of the bed. "You know I would love to keep this secret for you," she began soothingly, even as her eyes begged Cassie to understand and forgive her next words. "But I can't lie to your father, even by omission. If the roles were reversed and I was away I would want Johnny to let me know what happened."

"But he worries so much already," Cassie argued desperately. "I don't want to burden him with this, not while he's on set. This is a big movie for him."

Part of Sonya completely understood her daughter's position. She was guilty of lying to Johnny and telling him half truths to protect him herself but she just couldn't lie to him about this. Cassie was the most important person in her ex husband's life and there was no way she could keep this from him.

Not to mention the inevitable rage she would have to contend with when he found out that she knew and didn't tell him. Because he _would_ find out. He had a sixth sense when it came to his _punkin_.

"You know if I know Johnny Cage like I think I do," she began, tone creeping into _'guilt trip'_ territory. "I'm sure he's going to rank his daughter's well being high above filming _Son of Dragon Fist_."

 **0000**

Johnny couldn't think of even _one_ instance in the eighteen years since he became a father that he'd ever been well and truly angry with Cassie. Yes, there had been times when her recklessness irritated him or made him worry to the point of covering it with annoyance and aggravation but he couldn't remember a time when he'd actually been angry with her.

He was angry with her now.

Or maybe that wasn't the right choice of words. He wasn't necessarily angry _with her_ , he was angry that she felt she couldn't tell him what was going on in her life. That she couldn't confide in him. He was angry with himself for being away when she needed him and he was angry as hell that she'd been shot and he'd somehow been left out of the loop.

He'd been in California a lot lately and he knew that, as a result, she and Sonya were growing closer. It was an amazing opportunity for the both of them to really connect and find some common ground. They'd never been overly close but that wasn't really a big surprise since he and Cassie had practically been attached at the hip since her birth. He thought his absence would be good for their relationship but never in a million years had he imagined that them becoming closer would shut him out.

He didn't know how to feel about that.

Cassie was his angel, the light of his life. She was the one person who had ever truly been his and, in a weird way, Cassie had even made the divorce easier on him. Though he'd lost Sonya, he still had a part of her in Cassie. Every time he looked at their daughter, he saw her. He could spoil her and dote on her and she distracted him from the pain. He didn't need alcohol or frivolous affairs with random women because Cassie and her eerie similarity to his ex wife kept him grounded. She reminded him of what he'd lost and what he hoped to get back one day.

What would he do if she now preferred Sonya to him?

What if they'd lost their ease and familiarity with each other?

It worried him to no end that she kept this from him and he couldn't help but feel anxious as he neared her hospital room. He had so many questions but he wasn't quite sure he wanted any answers.

Slowing to a stop outside her door, he paused to collect his thoughts but before he could fully prepare himself, the door opened.

"Hey," Sonya greeted, a weak smile on her tired face.

Johnny nodded, returning her smile warily. "Hey. How is she?"

"She's fine," she assured softly, reaching out to touch his arm. "It's really not as serious as it could have been. I just need to know that she's taken care of while I'm away on my mission. I probably shouldn't have bothered you-"

"She's my little girl," he cut in quickly. "It's no bother; this is what we signed on for, remember?"

She smiled and nodded, squeezing his forearm gently before retracting her hand. "She begged me to call Jax, and I know he'd be happy to watch after her...I trust Jax but there's only one person I can think of that will take care of her the way I would, maybe better."

Johnny sighed and slumped into a slouch against the wall beside her door. "Why didn't she tell me? Why didn't she want _me_?"

It broke Sonya's heart to see him in such pain. Cassie's attempt to soften the blow for her father had only made things worse; it made him feel unwanted.

"She'll be able to explain that better than I can," she soothed.

He nodded solemnly, scuffing the floor with his shoe.

"Just remember one thing before you go in there and end up saying something you regret: she loves you very much."

 **0000**

Cracking the door open, Johnny stuck his head around the corner apprehensively. "Knock, knock."

Cassie looked up from where she was reading some random celebrity tabloid that held the promise of exclusive information on _Son of Dragon Fist_ on the cover. She smiled as their eyes connected and, while her mouth was tense, lips forced into the action, her eyes shimmered with genuine happiness at seeing him standing there. "Hey, daddy."

He returned her grin and stepped inside, closing the door. "How are you feeling?" The question was insanely generic and his tone was strained.

What was he supposed to say?

If he'd been alerted at the time it had happened, he would have swooped in and saved the day like super dad. He would have known exactly what to do and exactly how to handle the situation but here, nearly a week later, he was like a brand new father in the nursery, holding his newborn awkwardly away from him for fear of doing it wrong.

The light in Cassie's eyes dimmed at the detached question. "I'm fine."

Why was this so hard?

"Good," he replied, stuffing his hands deep into the pockets of his jeans. "Good."

They stared at each other for a long, uncomfortable moment and, as the air around them grew thick with tension, he began to pace at the foot of her bed.

"So uh, I was thinking I'd take you back home and we'd stay at the house while you're recovering," he explained awkwardly, looking anywhere but at her. "You know, until your mom gets back and can take over."

She nodded, a small frown marring her pretty features.

"Unless you think you'd be more comfortable at the condo, that is," he amended quickly at her pout.

She shook her head, blonde bangs falling into her eyes, shielding their disappointment from his view. "No, the house is fine." She paused as he nodded before hastily adding: "Unless the condo is more convenient for you, of course."

"No, no. The house is fine."

Silence once again settled over the usually chatty pair as he paced and she resumed reading her tabloid with a forced nonchalance. As seconds turned into minutes, his agitated movements became more sporadic as doubts, questions and fears crept into his mind and corrupted what he knew in his heart to be true.

She was his baby and she loved him, even her mother said so; he just had to remember that.

Though seemingly engrossed in her magazine, Cassie paid no attention to the details of her father's movie or the interviews of his costars. Her main focus was on the man himself as he moved from one side of the room to the other and back without even sparing her a glance.

Sighing, she forcefully set her magazine down on the bed beside her. "Look, I know you're angry with me," she began in the no nonsense tone her mother used when she was in general-mode, hoping that drawing from her mother's strength would somehow cushion the blow of guilt she felt at displeasing him. "I swear the guy was incapacitated when Jacqui and I left to sweep the room."

Pausing mid-stride, he turned disbelieving eyes to her.

"I know that's no excuse and we should have had another officer with us to watch him while we did our check but there just wasn't time, we were too far ahead of the other teams. We called for backup but it would have taken them half an hour to get there and we needed to move in immediately-"

Sometime during the course of her story, her voice began to fade into the background as he tuned her out. He honestly didn't mean to but he just couldn't believe it. He couldn't believe _her_.

She really was her mother's daughter.

"You honestly think I care about whether or not you followed military protocol?" he cut in, sounding just as dumbfounded as he felt.

She looked up, startled at his interruption. "Well yeah," she drawled unsurely, hand unconsciously finding the loose string on the front of her hospital gown. "That was the first thing mom wanted to know."

Shaking his head, he came to sit beside her on the bed. "Let's get a couple of things straight," he started sternly. "I think by now we can both confidently say that your mom has...unique ways of dealing with emotional situations."

She laughed a little, looking down at the string she currently twirled between her forefinger and thumb. "Yeah, no kidding."

"That doesn't mean that she doesn't love you, she's just not comfortable with the whole _feelings_ thing. She covers up her gushy center with questions, pretending she doesn't care when she really does. I'm also not your mom," he reminded gently. "I don't give a damn about protocol, the chain of command or the price of eggs in China." He paused to let that sink into her hard head before continuing. "I love you and my main concern is that you're okay. Truly, honest to god okay."

She smiled weakly, turning watery eyes to him. "I am okay. Honest to god."

He nodded, returning her smile. "Good. Now my second concern is why the hell didn't you tell me before now? We've talked on the phone every single day since I've been in California and it took me a week to be invited into the loop about this."

She opened her mouth to no doubt make an excuse but he forged on.

"And I didn't even hear about it from you. Hell, I'd probably still be on set, clueless as ever if Sonya hadn't had a mission."

Cassie shook her head and put a hand on her father's arm to curb his anger. "It's not mom's fault," she began sincerely. "I'm the one who kept this from you. She didn't know that I hadn't told you and I promise you she reamed me out when she found out."

" _Why_?"

"I didn't want to bother you."

His mouth dropped open.

"This movie is huge for your career and I knew that you would immediately come home if I told you what happened, even if I assured you I was fine."

He shook his head in disbelief and took her hand. "You are the most important person in my entire world," he informed, squeezing her hand to bring her attention back to him when she would have looked away. "That means that you are more important than any movie, business deal or mission. I would gladly walk away from _Son of Dragon Fist_ and not look back if you needed or _wanted_ me to."

"But I don't want or need you to, that's why I didn't tell you," she defended, picking up her abandoned tabloid with her free hand and waving it in front of his face. "You made the front page without even trying. Your comeback is going to be so explosive." Readjusting their hands so that their palms were aligned, she threaded her fingers through his much larger ones. Squeezing his hand, she smiled. "You wanted to prove to the world that you've still got it and that you've always had it and you are and I am so proud of you. There is no way that I would want to ruin that for you by taking you away from work."

Sighing, Johnny motioned for her to slide over and make room. Moving so that he was beside her, he wrapped her in his arms, reclining them back against the pillows. "You crazy girl." He laughed.

"What's so funny?" she wondered, leaning her head on his shoulder and laughing a bit herself.

"Nothing, you just remind me so much of your mother." He pulled her closer and kissed her temple. "Do you know that I didn't know she was pregnant with you for almost six months?"

Looking up at him, she cocked a brow disbelievingly. "Bullshit."

"No it's the truth," he insisted, laughing again. "I was filming _24 Karate Gold_ on location in Okinawa. When we first started filming, I was trying to come back to the states every chance I got but it was expensive and tiring. I was already working long days and spending hours on a plane just put me in a terrible mood. Then when I got home I couldn't stay awake long enough to eat let alone spend any time with your mom," he explained, a faraway look in his eyes.

It was like just telling the story took him back to that time, that place. Despite the intense fatigue he spoke of, she could tell he was remembering the events of his story with fondness and she could only attribute that to the fact that they were memories of when he and her mother were still together.

He was always a bit different when he thought of their marriage.

"She eventually told me that she understood that I had to be away for long absences sometimes and that it was okay if I couldn't come home all the time."

Another laugh escaped him and she could feel it rumble through his body. It was comforting, _he_ was comforting. This is what she'd needed all week: her daddy.

"I think she was secretly just tired of my bad attitude so we did the long-distance thing for the rest of the movie. Talked on the phone every day, just like you and I do now." He dropped another kiss to the top of her head. "Imagine my surprise when I come home after the movie wrapped to find my wife five months and two and a half weeks pregnant. I was so angry that, after the initial yelling match, I don't think I talked to her for a week."

Cassie suddenly sat up, whipping her head around to look at him. "This isn't your subtle way of telling me I'm going to get the silent treatment, is it? Because you know how much I hate the silent treatment, dad."

He shook his head, an earsplitting grin on his face. "No, I'm not going to give you the silent treatment. It just never fails to surprise me how much you can be like your mom. She said the exact same thing when I asked her why she didn't tell me we were having a baby." He paused, expression morphing into something decidedly serious. "The one thing that I could never make your mom understand, the thing that I need _you_ to understand, is that fame doesn't mean anything to me anymore. I mean it's nice and all but I could go back to being John Carlton in a heartbeat and it wouldn't bother me a bit as long as I still had you and your mom."

She smiled, the reality that he still included her mom as an important and vital part of his life not escaping her notice.

"Capiche?"

She nodded, settling back against him, her head returning to his shoulder. "Capiche."

"So what's this I hear about you _begging_ for your mom to call _Uncle Jax_ to look after you?" he inquired with a teasing glare.

She shrugged sheepishly. "I didn't want to bother you."

Johnny scoffed, affronted. "But Jax? _Really_? I am infinitely more fun and besides, you wouldn't be able to watch our traditional _Get Well-Cage Marathon_ with him around. He just doesn't appreciate good entertainment."

Cassie just closed her eyes, still smiling as her father continued to tell her how much better he was than her uncle. How could she ever think her recovery would be complete without him here with her?

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	5. Every Dog Has Its Day

_Parental Bond_

 **Disclaimer** : I do not own Mortal Kombat or any of the characters.

 **Author's Note** : I'd like to thank everyone for reviewing the last chapter; you guys are amazing. I also want to thank everyone for being so patient while I went off and started writing some other fics. Hope everyone enjoys this latest one-shot.

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There were times in her life when Sonya was unsure whether or not she still had emotions. Between the dissolution of her marriage, the nature of her work and how stern she needed to be with her daughter on a daily basis as not only her mother but her commanding officer, she had to steel herself to everything. Nothing could faze her and, if it did, she had better make damn sure no one else knew about it. But this, the sight of her daughter moving her belongings out of their house, was enough to bring tears to her eyes.

It was silly and stupid, she knew. Cassie was a grown woman and where she chose to reside was her own business but just the thought of her daughter preferring her father over her tore at her heart. Cassie had always been a daddy's girl but that didn't make her decision to abandon _her_ and move in with _him_ any easier.

She had lost her daughter once when Johnny had first left and she didn't want to lose her again.

"I really wish you would reconsider this," she began as Cassie moved around her, carrying a box of her belongings through the living room. Johnny met her half way and the two shared a smile as he took the box from her with the intention of carrying it to his car.

Shaking her head, Cassie turned to her mom, gesturing for her to sit with her on the couch for a moment. "Mom we've been over this," she insisted gently, taking her mother's hands in her own. "This isn't about you or my relationship with you. I love you."

Sonya sighed. "I just don't understand. Things have been pretty good here since we had that talk, right?"

Nodding, Cassie smiled reassuringly. "They have but like I said this isn't about what it's like here. I'm nineteen. I've lived with you since the divorce and, to tell the truth, I miss my daddy." Her face fell a bit as she thought about all the time they'd missed out on. Sure Johnny tried to be there as much as he could but with the difference in everyone's schedules it was hard. "I'll still see you at the base and we can go out and shop and have lunch together but I just need dad right now."

If anything, Cassie's explanation made Sonya feel even worse than she already did. It was true, she _had_ had their daughter since the divorce.

How would she have felt if things had been the other way around?

What would she have done if Cassie had spent all that time with Johnny and then, when she came of the age to choose, he had tried to dissuade her from returning to her?

Sonya nodded and exhaled heavily. "Okay," she relented. "I guess I understand that."

Cassie's eyes filled with tears and she gratefully hugged her mother. "Thank you for respecting this decision. It means a lot that you support me in this."

"Yeah, yeah," she dismissed with a watery grin. "Just remember that you always have a place to come back to if you decide that the high life isn't for you," she joked, somehow knowing that this was it; Cassie was never going to live there again.

At least when she finally got her own place, or moved out with a boyfriend _that_ would be Johnny's cross to bear.

A throat cleared from the hall and Johnny sheepishly stuck his head around the corner. "Well that's it, baby girl. We're all loaded up and ready to go."

Cassie nodded and hugged her mother one last time before hurriedly leaving the room. If she didn't leave now, she would burst into tears.

Who knew being an adult was this freaking hard?

Johnny eyed Sonya nervously as she stood and made her way over to him. He knew this hurt her but he would be lying if he tried to claim that he wasn't ecstatic about having his little girl back. "It's only ten minutes away," he reminded when she made no move to speak. "And you are welcome over any time, day or night."

Eyes downcast, she nodded, holding onto her silence for dear life.

"She still loves you but you know how kids are. They need their independence and to feel like they're making their own decisions and what not," he soothed, pulling her into his arms.

Firmly wrapped in his embrace, Sonya finally allowed herself to cry, burying her face in his shirt. Her little girl was _leaving_ her. She just needed a moment. This one moment and then she would be okay, she was sure of it.

He held her for what felt like an eternity, just as patient and caring as he had always been. He whispered soothing words and stroked her hair and kissed her forehead and he was just Johnny. Just the father of their daughter and that was what she needed. Cassie wasn't going to live with a stranger or stepping out to make it on her own or moving to another country, she was going to live with this man. This wonderful man and Sonya knew that he would take care of her.

Pulling back, she put as much distance between them as she could. "I'm okay," she assured, holding up a hand when he made to step toward her. "You guys should get going. It'll be dark soon and moving in the dark is a pain in the ass, remember?"

He laughed, remembering the night they'd moved into their house. "It sure is. I'll have her call you when she gets settled," he promised, making his way to the door with her in tow.

Sad blue eyes watched him make his way down the walk and to his car, where Cassie patiently waited for him. She wasn't losing her daughter forever and honestly, her little girl couldn't have been in better hands.

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 _Please review._


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